Judging Criteria and Scoring for Local and State Preliminaries

MISS SCORING AT THE LOCAL COMPETITIONThere are four areas of competition:

Personal Interview (25% of score) (10 minutes, including a 30 second closing statement)There is a panel of five judges. Candidates are questioned on their background as presented on their fact sheet, their educational and career goals, their opinions on current events, social issues, and their interests, hobbies and extracurricular activities. Scoring is based on communication skills, including personality, intelligence, validated opinions, emotional control, overall first impression and personal appearance, and whether the contestant possesses the overall qualities and attributes to be the next titleholder.

On Stage Interview (15% of score)Each candidate appears on stage and will answer a question, in front of the audience, written by one of the judges as an extension of the personal interview they participated in previously.

Talent (40% of score)Candidates perform a talent of up to 90 seconds of their own choosing. Scoring is based on contestant's skill and personality, interpretive ability, technical skill level, stage presence and the totality of all elements, including costume, props, voice, use of body and choreography.

Evening Wear with Social Impact Statement* (20% of score)Each candidate appears on stage in an outfit of her own choosing, representative of what she would wear to a formal "after five" social event. Pantsuits, cocktail dresses and evening gowns are all appropriate for this phase of the competition. Scoring is based on the overall first impression, sense of confidence, personality and stage presence, walk and posture, appropriateness of attire and sense of attractiveness. Each contestant will make an 8 second statement regarding her social impact initiative;*​

*Each candidate must have a Social Impact Initiative they will advocate during their year of service. ​Social Impact Initiatives are not scored, but it provides the judges the opportunity of seeing what each woman is passionate about.

MISS SCORING AT THE STATE COMPETITIONScoring is different at the state level. Percentages will change from Preliminary Competitions to the Final Night Competition. A composite score of 25% will carry over into the Final Night Competition based on preliminary placement. Percentages are noted below. There also will be a "Final Conversation for the Job" for the remaining top 5 finalists.

Final Conversation for the JobFinal night only. Only the remaining top finalists prior to crowning will participate.Judges will use the final ballot in this phase.Wardrobe: Evening wear or Candidate’s Choice: Dress for Success Final Interview. This may vary from State to State.This phase allows a final, highly energetic and challenging conversation with fellow candidates and the judges to determine who is the best candidate for the job. Judges will look at the sense of composure in the final moments of decision and at interactivity with the judges and the audience. The top candidates will be able express why each is best for the job of Miss America and what each plans to do with the new job as well as after her year of service. Top candidates can talk about career goals and how serving as Miss America will set the stage for becoming a future leader in the country.

OUTSTANDING TEEN Judging Criteria and Scoring at Local and State LevelsThere are four areas of competition:

Judges Interview (8 minutes) (25% of the Score)At the local level, each contestant participates in an individual 8-minute interview. Interviews are 8 minutes at the state competition and 10 minutes at the national competition. There is a panel of five judges and the interview is press-style, with the contestant standing at a podium. Contestants are questioned on their background as presented on their fact sheet, their educational and career goals, and their interests, hobbies and extracurricular activities. Scoring is based on overall communication skills, including personality, intelligence, validated opinions, emotional control, overall first impression and personal appearance.

Talent (90 seconds) (35% of the Score)Each contestant perform a 90-second routine of their own choosing. Scoring is based on contestant’s skill and personality, interpretive ability, technical skill level, stage presence and the totality of all elements, including costume, props, voice, use of body and choreography.

Fitness Routine (15% of the Score)Each contestant briefly appears on-stage in age-appropriate workout attire typical of what a teenager would wear to workout at the gym and performs the same fitness routine that will be taught to you. This routine usually included a push up. Your Director will provide more information about the attire and fitness routine when you register to compete. Scoring is based on overall first impression, statement of strong physical fitness and health, sense of attractiveness and presence, display of energy, charisma and expression, sense of confidence and composure.

Evening Gown/On Stage Question and Academic Achievement (25% of the Score)Each contestant appears on stage in an evening gown of her own choosing; something appropriate for her age. Each contestant will answer a question on-stage. Questions will be of a general nature and will be neither platform-related nor something taken directly from the private interview. The objective is to evaluate the contestant’s ability to think on her feet and answer a question of general interest to people her age, including, but not limited to, local, state, and national current events. Contestant will then model. Scoring is based on overall first impression, sense of confidence, personality, stage presence, walk and posture, appropriate of attire, sense of attractiveness, extemporaneous response to an on-stage question, contestant’s ability to answer the question in the context in which it was asked, contestant’s ability to handle the pressure of speaking on stage in front of an audience.​* Each contestant must also have a service platform they will advocate during their year of service. ​​

Are You Eligible to Compete?

MISS Eligibility. You must:

Be between the ages of 17 and 25

Be a United States citizen

Meet residency requirements for competing in a certain city or state

Meet character criteria as set forth by the Miss America Organization

Be in reasonably good health to meet the job requirements

Be able to meet the time commitment and job responsibilities as set forth by the local, state and national competition(s) in which you compete

Outstanding Teen Eligibility. You must:

Be at least 13 by the first day of your state Miss Outstanding Teen Program

Be no older than 17 years of age on July 31, 2019 unless you have not graduated from high school by July 31, 2019 and are 18 years of age. For the avoidance of doubt, 13 to 17 year old high school graduates, as well as 18 year old non-graduates as of July 31, 2019.

Be a US citizen

Live or attend school full time in Minnesota for at least the last six months prior to the competition; Some local competitions also have geographic restrictions - contact your local director for more information.

Be in reasonably good health

Be able to meet the commitment and responsibilities as set forth by the local and state programs